Car battery charger

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Every motorist at least once in his life faced the problem of a complete discharge of the battery, in which starting the car was not possible. And this applies to all vehicles, whether they are imported or domestic.

This type of malfunction happens quite rarely, but, as a rule, at the most inopportune moment for this. Battery problems occur in severe frosts, as well as when the battery runs out of life and cannot hold a charge for a long time. In this situation, you can start the car from a tow or “light it up” from another car. But such a launch option is not always possible. One of the easiest ways to solve this problem is to purchase a battery charger. There are many different products of this kind on the market today. Each product has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Main purpose of devices

A car battery charger, no secret, is designed to recharge one.

To do this, the battery is disconnected from the on-board network of the car, and power wires from the charger are connected to its terminals. The period of the charging process can last from three to fourteen hours - this factor depends on the design of the device and its characteristics. Even the most neglected battery after recharging can reliably serve for quite a long time.

The main advantage of the charger is its ease of use and affordable price. The disadvantages include a long time period of charging. In addition, if the battery is completely discharged, then this type of device will not help to immediately start the engine. This requires a certain period of time, which is not always convenient. In addition, on some imported vehicles, it is not recommended to disconnect the battery from the mains.

The solution to this issue is the so-called pre-start charger for the car battery. The advantage of this type of equipment lies in the possibility of recharging the car's battery without the need to dismantle it and disconnect it from the onboard network. It must be said that the pre-start device cannot ensure the start of the car engine immediately after it is connected. To operate the motor with a fully planted battery, you need to use such a type of electronic device as a car battery starter-charger. Electronic chargers can be roughly divided into three types: household, professional and combined.

household

The purpose of the first type is home use. As a rule, those are designed to work with the car's on-board network of 12 V. There are devices that can produce an output voltage of six to twelve volts. This battery charger allows you to charge batteries not only for cars, but also for motorcycles and scooters with a 6V network.

Professional

Professional type devices are designed to work with different types of batteries. The output voltage range can vary from 1 to 36 volts. This battery charger will allow you to charge almost any battery. And if the device is additionally equipped with a starting device, then it can be used to start trucks and tractors.

Combined

Such devices for recharging the battery and emergency starting the engine are, in fact, an inverter welding unit, which has the function of switching the output voltage, which will be optimal for working with the car's on-board network and charging the battery.

This car battery charger is multifunctional, but requires certain skills to operate.

Choosing an electronic device for its intended purpose

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the parking and storage of the vehicle. If the car is placed in a garage with standard electrical wiring, then you can get by with an ordinary household stationary appliance. Modern chargers are quite compact, they do not take up muchplaces in the garage, and in case of need are always at hand.

At the moment when the car stays overnight in the parking lot, then an autonomous charger-starter can come to the rescue. The device is equipped with a separate power supply, due to which it is possible to start the engine and recharge the battery without connecting the device to a 220 V network. The battery charger with self-powered batteries has its drawback: it requires special care all because of the same battery. You also need to decide so that the device meets the requirements of the car battery and the car as a whole as much as possible.

What to choose?

For passenger vehicles, it will be enough to acquire a household type device. But for heavy vehicles with an on-board network of more than twelve volts, it is advisable to use professional equipment. Only in this case, the normal process of servicing the nutrient element is ensured, and, if necessary, an emergency start of the motor.

Technical indicators parameters

The battery charger must match the specifications of the battery cell itself.

There are several types of batteries and each has its own characteristics regarding the charge. Before purchasing one, you need to find out if it is designed to work with your type of battery. The output power of the voltage must also meet certain parameters. Best option if the charging device has voltage regulation.

Current strength is another important factor. ATeach device is equipped with instructions for use and a technical passport indicating voltage and current parameters. For normal operation, the charger with the function of starting the motor must produce the required amount of current, which should be enough both to charge the battery and to start the power unit in an emergency. When the outgoing current strength during the recharging period will be less than required, this may lead to a quick failure of the battery due to constant "undercharging". The optimal parameter for the currents required for charging is 10% of the maximum battery power. And this means that when the battery capacity is 55 A / h, then the value of the current strength should be within 5.5 A.

Having some knowledge in the field of radio engineering, many motorists make a battery charger with their own hands. In this case, the need for a number of characteristics disappears by itself, since even when designing the device, all the nuances are taken into account. As a result, the charger meets exactly the requirements that a motorist needs.

Package

Depending on the purpose of the device and its functionality, the device can be equipped with additional parts and protective equipment.

Electrical wires connecting to the battery must be of a larger cross section, the clips for the terminals must be made of metal with a thickness of at least three millimeters. Clips made of thin material burn and wear out very quickly. The presence of a variety of indicators, lightindicators and adjustments of powerful parameters only make it easier to work with the device at the time of battery maintenance.

How to charge the battery with a charger

If the device is not designed to recharge the battery directly on the car or it is not possible to connect to the 220 V system, then the battery is removed from the car. Immediately before charging, the electrolyte level is checked and, if necessary, topped up to the recommended level. If the battery is not equipped with a so-called breather, then you must first unscrew all the filler plugs. This applies to acid batteries.

Next, the auto battery is connected to the charger. The positive clamp is installed on the positive terminal, respectively minus to minus. If the device is equipped with an adjustment mechanism for the supply of electricity, then it must first be set to a minimum, and then turn on the power to the device. After that, you can add the value of voltage and currents to the optimum. It is worth considering that the initial inclusion of large energy indicators leads to faster charging. But the battery will not hold a charge for very long. Therefore, it is recommended to set values slightly lower than optimal - the charging process in this case is longer, but more efficient. Before charging the battery with a charger, you need to read the instructions for using it.

Orion device

One of the popular devices for battery charging at the moment is the products of the Orion trademark. There are several modifications of the device on the market that differ in their characteristics. The main purpose of this is to charge motorcycle and car batteries, regardless of their degree of discharge and capacity.

Automatic battery charger independently controls and limits the voltage on the battery, which eliminates the intense boiling of the liquid and does not lead to overcharging. The device is used for all types of batteries. In this case, there is no need to disconnect the battery from the vehicle's on-board network. Additionally, the charger can be used as a multi-purpose DC power supply. With its help, they feed various electronic devices of cars, tools.

The Orion battery charger can be used as a starting element to facilitate starting the motor. The device has a plastic case, small dimensions and very low weight. The front panel has a pointer indicator for indicating the current strength and manual adjustment. A safety element is located at the back. The connection wires have a cross section sufficient even to start the power unit.

And the terminal clamps are made of high quality material and are quite reliable. Using a pulse charger for batteries of the Orion series in automatic recharging mode, we exclude the possibility of damage to the battery plates and vehicle equipment, because the desulfation process takes place under strict control of the voltage at the battery outputs. At the end of the charging operation, the ZPU maintains the state of chargestorage cell, thereby preventing its self-discharge, overcharging and the possibility of sulfation.

Result

When purchasing a device to support the technical condition of the battery of the car's electronic systems, you should first find out if the device has a quality certificate. Otherwise, you can buy equipment with defects in the working system, which will not be able to fully perform its functions and will quickly fail. Additionally, the device must have an electrical and fire safety certificate. So, we found out what type of car battery charger can be.